Siemens to assist Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority in 3D printing parts for metro system

Aug 30, 2017 | By Tess

Industrial manufacturing company Siemens has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) to develop 3D printed parts for the latter’s transport subsystems.

(Image: Dubai Metro)

According to the agreement, Siemens will work with Dubai’s RTA to advance and fulfill its existing 3D printing mandate which was launched last year. The initiative is seeking to introduce 3D printed parts into the subsystems of the Dubai Metro.

The MoU was signed by Abdul Mohsin Ibrahim Younes, CEO of the Rail Agency who was sent by the RTA, and Alexander Biron von Curland, Senior Executive Vice President of Mobility at Siemens Middle East. The signing ceremony was also attended by various directors from the RTA as well as employees from the Rail Agency.

The MoU states that Siemens and RTA will use 3D printing to “extend the sources of space parts for the Dubai metro.” 3D printing will enable them to increase availability of said parts, decrease issues of obsolescence, and create new, more optimally designed parts for the city’s transit system.

“This step would certainly consolidate RTA’s constant efforts to back up Dubai’s endeavours in becoming the world’s smartest city in three years, which would definitely contribute to make the residents of Dubai, its visitors and tourists happier and more satisfied,” commented Younes.

“Joining forces with an international prestigious company such Siemens would certainly empower RTA to realize its technological targets and innovation objectives as per the timeline scheduled for the evolvement of 3D printing technology at the maintenance operation of the Rail Agency,” he added.

Siemens is already working on a number of 3D printing projects within the United Arab Emirates (UAE). In 2016, the company partnered with the UAE’s Mubadala Development Company and its Ministry of Education to bolster and advance 3D printing within the education and training sphere.

More recently, the German company teamed up with UAE-based aviation company Strata Manufacturing and Etihad Airways to design, develop, and manufacture the first 3D printed interior aircraft part. Unveiled in March, the 3D printed part was developed by 25-year-old Emirati engineer Maryam Al-Kuwaiti.

Alexander Biron von Curland commented on the recently signed MoU, saying: “We are proud to be working with the RTA to advance industrialized 3D printing in Dubai, in line with the emirate’s vision to be the world’s smartest city. Siemens has been a pioneer of 3D printing worldwide, and this digital technology is changing the way we design and manufacture spare parts for mobility systems such as metros.”